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Enhancing the Lives of Nursing Home Residents One Volunteer at a Time

20 Ways To Thank Volunteers

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how to thank volunteers

We volunteer because we want to make a difference. We do it because of the personal satisfaction that comes from helping others. We keep coming back because we love what we do. Yet, it’s always nice to hear that we’re appreciated.

National Volunteer Week is coming up from April 7-13 this year. What is your organization doing to show appreciation for its priceless volunteers? I would love to see your ideas in the comment section!

In the meantime, please check out these 20 suggestions for thanking volunteers during Volunteer Week and all year round:

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4 More Fantastic Fundraising Ideas

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nursing home fundraisers

I’m excited to hear that many of you have had success with the fundraisers I’ve shared over the past several months! Today I’m featuring four more terrific ideas. While these fundraisers are hosted at facilities other than nursing homes, I know we can easily adapt them for any type of long-term care facility.

As before, I’m including a link to each organization. This enables you to contact them directly for more details.

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How To Spice Up Bingo In The Nursing Home

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alternatives to nursing home bingo

I’m a member of an online group that exchanges ideas about activities in nursing homes and other care facilities. Recently there was a heated discussion about the pros and cons of bingo.

Some folks believe the game offers important benefits for residents. For example, it encourages socialization, helps maintain cognition, and promotes eye-hand coordination. Plus, it’s just plain fun!

Many people, on the other hand, feel that bingo is a mindless, meaningless activity and there are many better options available. Some even believe we should ban it from nursing homes.

Regardless of your feelings about the game, I think we can all agree that playing traditional bingo too often becomes monotonous. Today let’s look at several ways we can spice up the game and make it more fun.

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Top Tips To Prevent Dehydration In Dementia

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Prevent dehydration in dementia

Back in November, we looked at how we can encourage our residents to eat. Today let’s consider how we can encourage our memory care residents to drink more fluids to prevent dehydration. 

Why are people with dementia more prone to dehydration?

As we age, a variety of issues cause us to be more prone to dehydration. However, people living with dementia tend to be at even higher risk. These are several contributing factors:

  • Inability to recognize the sense of thirst
  • Forget how to obtain beverages
  • Don’t remember the importance of fluid intake
  • Acute illness such as diarrhea, vomiting, or fever
  • Difficulty with the physical aspect of drinking due to shakiness, pain, or stiffness
  • Inability to communicate that they feel thirsty
  • Medications that promote the loss of fluid
  • Difficulty with swallowing
  • Fear of losing bladder control
  • Excessive sweating because of hot temps

What happens when someone gets dehydrated?

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Fun Books For Grandparents & Kids To Share

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While searching online for books that grandparents can share with their grandkids, I came upon these delightful choices on Amazon.com. Simply click on each picture below and you can learn all the details about these traditional books.

If you prefer to read books on a device, you’ll want to consider this special offer on a Kindle Unlimited membership. For a low monthly fee, you receive access to over 1 million books, popular magazines, as well as thousands of audiobooks.

The best part? Right now you can sign up for a free trial. And if you decide this isn’t right for you, it’s easy to cancel at any time. I think this would make a terrific gift for someone who lives in a long-term care center.

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